Two stabbing attacks thwarted at Cave of the Patriarchs
Tensions in the region have risen dramatically since Defense Minister Naftali Bennett announced the funding of a new Jewish neighborhood in Hebron.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFKnife used in an attempted stabbing in Hebron, December 2019.(photo credit: POLICE SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
Border Police thwarted two stabbing attack attempts at the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron on Sunday. No injuries were reported in either incident.The first attack was attempted on Sunday morning by a woman carrying a knife. No one was injured in the attack.The attacker, a 17-year-old, was a schoolgirl and came to the location with a backpack on her. When she saw the police, she pulled the knife out of the bag and swung it this way and that for several minutes as Border Police directed their loaded weapons at her and demanded that she lower the weapon.Once she dropped the knife, the security forces neared her, after which she pulled a screwdriver out, as well. After this, Border Police gained control of the teenager and arrested her.The second attack attempt occurred Sunday evening when a suspect armed with a knife acted suspiciously at a security checkpoint.The suspect suddenly pulled out a knife towards border police officers who aimed their weapons at him, causing the suspect to drop the knife immediately.No injuries were reported. The suspect is being questioned.The last attempted stabbing in the region was in late October, when a terrorist attempted to stab Border Police at the Cave of the Patriarchs.She was approached by the police on location and questioned, during which she pulled out a knife and attempted the attack.Tensions in the region have risen dramatically since Defense Minister Naftali Bennett announced the funding of a new Jewish neighborhood in Hebron.
The neighborhood will be constructed at the site of the wholesale market, which was purchased by the Hebron Jewish community of the early 19th century, but later became a center of Palestinian commerce when the city was under Jordanian rule.
